


The One with the Layover

by WannaBeBold



Category: NCIS
Genre: F/M, What Happens In Vegas...
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-21
Updated: 2020-05-24
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,233
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24310441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WannaBeBold/pseuds/WannaBeBold
Summary: On their way back from working in LA, bad weather in DC creates a layover causing Nick and Ellie to spend 3 days in Sin City...
Relationships: Ellie Bishop & Nick Torres, Ellie Bishop/Nick Torres
Comments: 27
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This one is inspired by the Friends episode where they all go to Vegas.  
> Disclaimer: I know nothing about layovers, the weather in Vegas, or gambling…

“Oh yeah, Vegas baby!” Nick exclaimed, stepping out of the airport and taking a deep inhale of desert air. Ellie followed close behind him, already wiping the sweat off her brow. It was almost midnight but the air was still hot and she was not-so secretly envious of her partner who hadn’t broken a sweat the entire trip.

“Nick, it’s just an overnight layover before heading back to DC. It’s late now and we have to be back at the airport at 5:00 in the morning, we don’t have time for anything fun.” Nick turned to her, actually pouting at her words before waving down a cab. 

A week ago Gibbs had sent them to Los Angeles to work with the Office of Special Projects team whose latest case involved a Marine and Navy SEAL killed by a lethal dose of Blue Burgers, the same drugs that put Emily Fornell in the hospital just over a year ago. While they worked the case from the West Coast, Gibbs and McGee worked with Fornell back in DC, following down leads and re-interviewing witnesses from Emily’s case. Working together, they finally found a break in the case leading to the take down of the entire drug ring. Now, they were on their way back to DC but only after an impromptu layover in Las Vegas. 

“Ugh fine. Ruin all my fun.” He stuck his tongue out at her and she laughed at his childishness; it was a side he didn’t show often but she loved it when he did. When a cab appeared in front of them, he took both of their bags, throwing them in the trunk before sliding in after her. It was a short drive to the hotel the airline was putting them up in and Ellie groaned at the line of cabs sitting outside when they arrived. Finally in front of the hotel doors, they grabbed their bags and climbed out, walking straight for the front desk. 

“Hello, welcome. Did the airline reserve a room for you?” The desk clerk, Kayla, asked in a voice way too chipper for almost midnight. 

“Yeah, should be under Torres.” Nick spoke up, glancing over at Ellie who was struggling to hold in a yawn as Kayla searched on the computer. Since their reservation for the flight was made together, the airline only booked one room for them and they were crossing their fingers that there would be two beds.

“Nicholas?” He nodded as exhaustion started to set in. “Here you are. Room 617. Have a good night Mr. and Mrs. Torres.” Handing over the keys, she pointed them toward the elevator. Turning around, Nick mumbled out a thank you as they walked away. Only once they were in the empty elevator did Ellie’s brain register what the clerk said.

“Di-did she just call us Mr. and Mrs. Torres?” Feeling more awake at her words, Nick’s head whipped around to look at her. It surprised her though when she saw the smirk across his face, followed by his arm going around her shoulder. 

“What can I say babe, we make a pretty cute couple.” Ellie blamed the blush that crossed her cheeks on the warm air of the elevator, not his words, before jabbing her elbow lightly in his side. She laughed at the exaggerated wince he sent her way. The elevator dinged then, signaling their arrival on the sixth floor and they grabbed their bags, following the signs to their room. Nick was still grumbling about his side, not paying attention when she stopped in front of the door causing him to run into her. “Geez B, are you trying to kill me today?!” When she didn’t move he addressed her again. “Ellie? What’s up?” 

“Uh, Nick…” She trailed off, pointing at the door. Following her gaze, he looked at the door, the number 617 resting above a gold placard. “This... is the hon…”

“Honeymoon suite?” Nick choked out, finishing her sentence. So much for a room with two beds. Seeing Ellie’s panicked expression, Nick rushed to calm her down. “Ellie, like you said it’s just one night. And barely that, we only have five hours before we have to be back at the airport.” When she still didn’t move he said the only other thing he could think of. “I’ll take the couch, you can have the bed.” He tried not to let the hurt he felt show when she visibly relaxed at his words. 

“Okay.” Taking a deep breath, she took the key from him and opened the door. Tossing her bag down, she glanced around, taking in the small couch and desk in the living area and the kitchenette with a bistro table tucked into a corner. On the other side of the room was a large fireplace across from the king sized bed which sat next to the huge heart shaped tub. A brief image crossed her mind of her and Nick relaxing in there as a roaring fire was going but she shook her head, willing the thought away. Looking past the partial wall behind the bed, she groaned when she saw that, with the exception of its frosted glass that would leave little to the imagination, the large shower was open to the rest of the suite and after the day they’ve had they would both need to use it before leaving. Nick’s throat clearing broke her out of her daze and she turned around, trying to school her features. 

“So uh, you wanna take the shower tonight? I’ll take it in the morning?” His voice was oddly shy as he spoke and she wondered if he was having as hard of a time keeping his cool as she was. 

“S-sure. I’ll just…” She trailed off, grabbing her toiletries and pajamas and walking into the bath area. Standing there awkwardly, she watched as Nick shed his shirt and pants before laying on the couch, facing the back and pulling the small blanket over him. Making sure he wasn’t looking, she stripped and stepped under the hot spray, sighing as the water relaxed her sore muscles. She tried not to look Nick’s way but when his grunts could be heard over the water she couldn’t help it and sighed loudly. “Nick!”

Hearing his name from the other side of the room he rolled over, closing his eyes quickly when he caught a glimpse of Ellie’s naked silhouette in the shower. “Yeah?” One eye popped open to see what she wanted but closed quickly when he saw her head out the door, water droplets racing down the slip of shoulder that was visible. 

“You sound miserable over there. We’re both adults, we can share the bed.”

“Are you sure Ellie?” 

“It’s either that or I have to listen to you moaning all night so, yes. Please just, get in the bed.” Nick suddenly wanted to hear those words coming from her in a different context that led to them both moaning in bed but stopped himself. If he was gonna be lying next to her all night he didn’t need those images in his head. Opening both eyes slowly, he tried not to stare at her behind the shower wall as he ran over to the bed, getting under the covers as fast as possible. 

Five minutes later he still wasn’t asleep when he heard the water shut off. Hearing footsteps coming around the corner, he shut his eyes, feigning sleep. The bed dipped from her weight and he hoped she couldn’t hear him suck in a breath when the scent of her shampoo assaulted his senses. 

After telling Nick they could share the bed, Ellie stayed in the shower longer than normal trying to postpone the awkwardness that was sure to ensue. Poking her head out to make sure he was in the bed and not looking her way, she grabbed her towel and dried off, pulling her pajamas on and cursing at how small they were. Hesitantly, she walked to the bed, sighing in relief when she saw his eyes were closed, and climbed in, keeping a good distance between them as she pulled the covers over her. 

A shrill ring broke him out of his sleep at 2:00 am and with a groan, Nick reached over to pick up the hotel phone. “Mmm, Torres.” 

“Well look at that, you are alive.” Gibbs' voice on the other end woke him immediately and he sat up against the headboard. He must’ve questioned Gibbs because he spoke again. “Check your phones.” Leaning over, he picked up his phone and saw ten missed calls and at least twenty texts from Gibbs and McGee, plus an email from the airline and one from the hotel. 

“Gibbs what-“ 

“Flight back’s cancelled cause of the storm. You and Bishop are stuck there for a couple days til it blows over.” Nick was about to ask him what he was talking about when Gibbs spoke again. “Don’t get into trouble.” 

The line went dead then and Nick sat down the phone before unlocking his and opening up his email. According to the airline, all flights to DC have been cancelled due to weather and they were putting them up in their current hotel until it passed. Sighing, he clicked on the next one, reading over the hotel’s confirmation that they had their current room for the next two nights. Resigning himself to two more nights of staying here in this suite and sharing a bed with his partner, he turned off his alarm and lay back down, resisting the urge to curl up against Ellie. 

Ellie slowly woke up and smiled at how rested she felt. Stretching slightly, she froze as she felt a warm arm across her, hand splayed across her hip, and a solid chest pressed against her back. Although she knew who it was, the scar on his wrist confirmed that she was cuddled in bed with Nick. A warmth went through her at the feeling of being so close to him and she was content to fall back asleep when she noticed the time and sat up with a shriek. Turning to face him, she smacked his chest to wake him up. “Nick. Nick, we overslept.” 

“Calm down Ellie, go back to sleep.” In his sleepy state, he tried pulling her back down to him when she smacked his chest again, jumping out of bed. 

“Nick, it’s 8:00 in the morning! We missed our flight! Oh my gosh Gibbs is gonna kill us!” In a panic, she slipped her pajamas off and started pulling on her jeans when Nick’s sleepy voice behind her made her pause.

“Flight’s cancelled Ellie. Bad weather in DC. We’re staying here for the next two nights.” Curious as to what he was talking about, she turned around to question him and saw his eyes go wide before drifting to her chest. Looking down, she realized she was just in her jeans and bra and spun back around, a blush taking over her cheeks as she pulled on her tee shirt. Fully dressed, she faced him again, this time coming to sit on the bed. 

“What do you mean we’re staying here three more days? And how do you know that?” Nick picked up his phone, showing her the missed calls from their boss and texts from McGee before showing her the emails and explaining.

“Gibbs called at 2:00 this morning to inform me that the storm in DC has caused all flights there to be cancelled. Lucky for us, the weather here is amazing, we get to stay in this kick ass suite, and will actually have time to explore Vegas.” Tilting her head, Ellie thought over his words before she smiled. Maybe this impromptu Vegas vacation would be exactly what she needed.


	2. Chapter 2

While waiting on room service for their breakfast, Nick went to shower and Ellie sat on the bed watching TV, trying not to think of her currently naked partner just feet behind her. Her mind kept drifting back to the past week and working with the LA team, more specifically, Kensi and Deeks. As hard as she tried, she was jealous of them. They were on the same team, were married, and clearly making it work. Truth be told, she was envious. She secretly wanted that with Nick but she still didn’t know if he was even interested in her like that, plus they had that damn rule 12 hanging over their heads. A knock on the door signaled the arrival of their breakfast and she jumped up, very ready for food. Thanking the man at the door, she wheeled the cart in, ready to call for Nick when she looked up and saw him standing there in just a towel.

“I uh, I forgot my bag.” Ellie just nodded, not able to say anything else as she watched the water droplets run down his torso and she wanted so badly to follow them with her tongue.

“Um… Breakfast is here.” She muttered out, not able to tear her eyes away as he walked back in the bathroom to get dressed. Laying their food out on the table, her eyes kept drifting up to him and caught a glimpse of his torso as he was pulling on his shirt, watching his muscles move with the motion. Averting her gaze before he could catch her, she started eating, only looking up again when he joined her at the table. 

“So, you up for a little sightseeing today B?”

“I don’t know Nick. I mean, aren’t you exhausted from this week?” He gave her an exasperated look and she couldn’t help but again think he looked adorable.

“It’s Vegas Ellie! There’s so much here to see and do. Besides, we can sleep when we get home.” Nick watched as the wheels turned in her head and hope filled him when she tilted her head.

“Okay fine. Sightseeing now. But I’m still turning in early for the night!”

“We’ll see about that.” He sent her a wink before standing up, grabbing his wallet, her bag, and their phones. “Now c’mon! It’s Vegas time!” Ellie couldn’t help but laugh and join in on his enthusiasm as he slung an arm around her shoulder and led her out the door.

An hour into their little sightseeing tour, Ellie was regretting her choice of clothing for this little adventure. Because of coming to LA for a case, all of the clothes she packed were practical for work, not for being out in the desert heat almost all day. When she pulled at her collar and fanned herself for the tenth time in the last half-hour, he finally spoke up.

“Okay B, we need to get you out of those clothes, you’re obviously hot.” She gave him a knowing look as he realized his words and fumbled for an explanation. “I mean, you know, warm. In those clothes. That you need to change out of.” The laugh she let out was worth him making an idiot of himself and he joined in on her joyous state.

Once their laughter died down she was finally able to speak. “I know what you meant Nick. But seriously, I’m fine.” The look he gave her along with the sweat that was trailing down her neck told him otherwise, leaving her with nothing else to do than confess. “Okay fine, so I’m a little warm and could use something cooler to wear.”

“Ha! I was right. Follow me, I think I saw a shop down this street.” Rolling her eyes, she took his outstretched hand and walked next to him, their arms swinging between them. Right before they walked into the store, Nick pulled her against him to whisper in her ear. “Ya know, I was telling the truth before. You are obviously hot, and it’s not just from the temperature.” Her eyes went wide at his words and she had to duck her head to hide the blush quickly appearing on her cheeks. “Now, go find something.” 

Hands on her shoulders, he walked her into the shop, staying by her side the entire time and watching as she searched through racks of sundresses. After twenty minutes, she had her choice narrowed down to three and went to try them on, asking Nick to follow to get his opinion. Sitting outside the fitting room, he was unprepared for seeing her in the white lace maxi-dress she came out in first. He could only nod when she asked if he liked it as he was picturing her in a different white lace dress, this time walking down the aisle toward him and – where the hell did that thought come from? When she went back in to change into the next one, he shook his head to get his thoughts back to the present. This was Ellie for goodness sakes. His partner and friend who definitely did not see him in that light, let alone as future husband material. Hearing the door from her dressing room start to open again, he sat up and prepared to give her compliments on her next choice. 

In the end, Ellie ended up choosing a blue spaghetti strap dress that hit just above her knees and took Nick’s breath away as she sauntered out of the store in it. 

“Better?” Nick asked, grabbing her bag and trying to hide his bags from the store next door as she looped her arm through his.

“Much. Thank you for the suggestion.” She rested her head on his shoulder as they walked down the street and he smiled, loving this carefree side of her. 

They spent the rest of the day driving around the Vegas tourist attractions, stopping only for lunch, before heading back to their hotel. It was only 8:00 when they got back but Ellie immediately started getting ready for bed. 

“Woah woah woah, what do you think you’re doing?” He grabbed her elbow, stopping her from getting under the covers. 

“Um. Going to bed…” She trailed off, thinking her actions were obvious to him. 

“It’s only 8 o’clock B! And we’re in Vegas! You can’t go to bed at 8 pm in Vegas!”

“Um, I can, and I am. Goodnight Nick.” She started to lay down when he grabbed her elbow again, pulling her up to him. 

“Ellie… come to the casino with me. I’ll make it worth your while…” He sing-songed, knowing the way to the woman’s heart. 

“Oh yeah? What do you have in mind?”

“There’s an all you can eat dinner buffet downstairs. And their special tonight may or may not be pasta aglio e olio…” He watched as the grin lit up her face and knew he had her now. 

“Well, I guess I could at least join you for dinner.” 

“Perfect! Just uh, one thing.” She gave him a look that told him he better continue so he spoke again. “They kinda have a dress code.” With a huff, Ellie plopped back down on the bed. 

“Ugh, of course.” Exasperated, she lay back, throwing her arms in the air. “I didn’t exactly pack a nice dress with me Nick, we were here on business after all.” 

“Well then, it’s a good thing I got us covered.” Sitting up quickly, she watched as Nick brought a bag over to her that she recognized from the boutique next door to where she purchased her earlier dress. Curiosity taking the best of her, she peeked in before he pulled out its contents: a dark red, figure hugging strapless dress and a pair of black heels. Shock was clearly written across her face as she stepped forward to feel the dress and caught a glimpse of the price tag. 

“Nick! This is way too expensive! There’s no way I can wear this.” 

“You can and you will Ellie. And it’s not too expensive.” She was still gaping at him so he went for the gold. “Please El? I know it’ll look amazing on you.” 

“Fine!” Relenting, she threw her hands up and grabbed for the dress. “I’ll wear it. But only because it gets me pasta aglio e olio.” He laughed, watching her walk behind the bed to the bath area before turning around to grab his new outfit and change. 

He was just pulling the casual suit jacket over his black button-up when he heard the sound of heels clicking behind him. Spinning around, his words got caught in his throat when he saw her. She had pulled half of her hair back, the rest falling over her bare shoulders in their usual waves, her makeup was a little darker than normal, and the red of her lipstick matched the dress perfectly. Eyes trailing lower, he took in the way the dress hugged every curve before stopping mid thigh and leading down to the long expanse of bare legs that ended in the black high heels. 

“Woof.” He noticed her eyes go wide and a blush appear on her cheeks and realized he must’ve voiced his thoughts out loud. “Um, ready to go?” 

Standing in front Nick in the outfit he picked for her, she shifted nervously. The fire in his eyes as he looked her over was sure to match hers as she took him in. As usual, he was in dark black jeans that hugged him in all the right areas. What was unusual though was the black button-up, the top two buttons left open, and sport coat over his shoulders. Her mind instantly flashed back to seeing him exit the dressing room when finding a tux for McGee’s wedding and was about to repeat her woof when she heard the word fall from his lips. The unconscious widening of her eyes must’ve told him she heard him as he held out a shy hand to her. 

“Um, yeah, let’s go.” Taking his hand, her heart sped up at how much like a real date this felt. 

Once in the restaurant, Ellie found them a table while Nick went for the buffet. Ready for her pasta aglio e olio, she was getting antsy for him to return when suddenly a plate filled with her favorites appeared in front of her and he sat down across the table. Getting over her shock, she dug in as Nick smiled at her, laughing at her enthusiasm for food. He wasn’t expecting the moan to escape her mouth when she finally dug into her pasta and his eyes went wide, fork paused half-way to his mouth in shock. She took another bite and smiled around the fork but this time she closed her eyes and tilted her head back, letting out a humm of appreciation. Not able to do anything but stare, he shifted in his seat at the image in front of him and suddenly wished they were upstairs in their hotel room and in a position to do something about the thoughts now swirling through his brain. 

A throat clearing broke through Ellie’s brain and she opened her eyes to see Nick staring at her, eyes wide. Feeling the blush heating up her cheeks, she looked down in embarrassment as he smirked. 

The rest of dinner went by smoothly, talking and laughing like it was one of their usual post-case dinners in DC, and when they went to leave neither wanted the night to end. Walking out of the restaurant, Ellie’s arm looped through his, he caught sight of the bar in the casino and paused.

Looking up to where he kept glancing at, she smiled and rolled her eyes. “Let me guess, you wanna hit the casino?” 

“Oh yeah!” He nodded enthusiastically, head bobbing up and down like a little kid. Letting out an exaggerated sigh, she relented. 

“Okay fine. But not too long.” Nick pressed a quick kiss to her forehead in excitement, pulling her along as he headed toward the slots. 


	3. Chapter 3

Ellie woke up slowly, groaning at the headache that was starting to form. Starting to sit up, she froze when she felt an arm thrown across her waist. Her very… bare waist. Nick’s arm suddenly pulled her tighter against him, breathing into the back of her neck and making her skin tingle. She realized then that their legs were intertwined and his firm body was flush up against hers and she could feel  _ all _ of him. He shifted behind her again, moving his left hand up her stomach towards her chest when she felt it, the coolness of a metal band on his ring finger. Now fully awake, she slowly brought her own left hand into view and saw a silver band on her own finger. Trying and failing to get out of bed, she did the only other thing she could think of.

“NICK!” He mumbled from behind her, slowly coming to. She could tell when their situation registered in his brain when he pulled his arm away and sat back against the headboard. Now free from his grasp, she jumped up, pulling the comforter around herself while he drew the sheets up over his lap. Trying not to stare at his bare torso, she gripped the comforter tighter and started pacing the room, thinking out loud. 

“Ellie, Ellie. Would you please just calm down so we can talk about this?” 

“This? This?!” Her voice went up two octaves as she looked at him with wide eyes from the end of the bed. “Nick we don’t even fully know what this is! The last thing I remember from last night was sharing a drink at the bar before moving to the next table and then this morning I wake up naked with a ring on my hand that matches yours!” For the first time since waking up, Nick looked down at his hand and realized that there was indeed a silver ring on his finger and suddenly his expression mirrored Ellies. 

“Ay, Dios mío! Ellie what the hell happened last night?!” Sighing, she sat down on the foot of the bed, keeping as much space between them as possible. 

“I don’t know Nick! That’s what I’m trying to tell you!” 

“Wait a second, I thought you couldn’t get drunk.” Ellie rolled her eyes and threw her head in her hands. 

“I can’t! Or at least, I never have before. Ugh! Of course this would happen now.” Leaning forward, he placed his hand on her knee. 

“I’m sorry Ellie. I promise I didn’t mean for this, whatever it was, to happen. I mean, we got married for heaven’s sake!” She groaned, feeling the headache start to come back. 

“Oh trust me Nick, I know. Don’t remind me.” Yanking his hand away like he’d been burned, Nick crossed his arms over his chest as he took in Ellie’s words. 

“Geez El. I didn’t think it’d be that terrible to be married to me.” Realing how her words sounded, she sighed, moving up the bed to sit closer to him. 

“I’m sorry Nick, that came out wrong.” She reached over to take his hand then, pulling his arms away from his chest. “It’s just, it’s a shock. I mean, who would’ve thought that we’d end up getting drunk in Vegas and get married?”

“And who knows what else.” Nick smirked at her as she hid her head. Sensing her embarrassment, he tried to comfort her by placing his free hand on her shoulder where the comforter had slipped. “Listen Ellie, I’m sorry. This is all my fault I mean, I dragged you out last night when you just wanted to stay in and if I had listened to you, none of this would’ve happened.” 

“No Nick, you have nothing to apologize for.” Her hand landed on his knee then and they were both taken back to last night in the bar. 

_ Sitting at the bar drinking their winnings, Ellie suddenly let out a loud laugh at something Nick had said and placed her hand down on his knee. Nick’s breath hitched and, now tipsy, Ellie felt emboldened and moved her hand up higher on his thigh. Once she was almost at her target, Nick reached down to place his hand over hers, halting her movement.  _

_ “Ellie.” His eyes were impossibly dark and she gave his thigh a squeeze. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.”  _

Coming back to the present, Ellie jerked her hand away from his knee. “Nick did we?” She waved her hand between them, hoping to get her point across. 

“Ugh! Ellie I have no idea but I sure as hell hope not.” He didn’t think it was possible but she moved farther away from him on the bed then, his words finally registering when he saw the hurt look across her face. “Oh my gosh Ellie no, not like that. I just meant… well if I was gonna be with you I’d wanna remember it. This was never how I imagined this happening and trust me, I’ve thought about it plenty.” Her eyes were wide now and he cringed at how much he had let slip.

“You uh, you’ve thought about me, us? Like that?” Her voice sounded so small and unsure and he did the only thing he could think of to reassure her. Securing the sheets around his waist, he scooted towards her and reached out to cup her cheek. 

“More times than I care to admit.” A blush flooded her cheeks and she averted her eyes to gather her courage. 

“Well, I guess I should tell you then that I’ve thought about us too, more times than I care to admit.” Nick’s head whipped up, not expecting that response from her. 

“Y-you have?” Nick looked like he couldn’t believe what she was telling him. 

“Remember that time we had to go to North Carolina for those interviews and stayed overnight?” Confused at this change of subject, he gave a nod and she continued. “Well… remember how you said I was acting off the next day and wouldn’t let it go and I told you I didn’t sleep well on that hotel mattress?” Ellie watched as the wheels turned in his head and it was like a lightbulb came on when he realized what she was telling him. 

“Eleanor Bishop! You mean to tell me you had a sex dream about me while we were sleeping in the same room?!” Ellie’s face turned crimson when he hit the nail on the head. “Well, I don’t feel so bad now.”

“What’re you talking about Nick?” 

“I uh, may or may not have had the same type of dream about you that night too.” Ellie was silent for a moment before she let out a loud laugh that he soon joined in on. 

“I just, I can’t believe we both had dreams about each other that night and never did anything about it.” She wiped away the tears that were now rolling down her face from laughing so hard.

“That we know of anyway.” Nick’s words brought them both back to reality and they became serious again. 

“Nick. We have to find out what happened last night.” 

“I agree Ellie.” 

In silent agreement, Ellie gathered her clothes and went to take a quick shower while Nick picked up their scattered clothes from last night. Less than ten minutes later, Ellie came into the living area to finish her hair and makeup so Nick could grab a shower before they started searching for answers. Once they were both dressed and presentable, Nick held out a hand for her to take.

“Ready?” 

“Ready.” She said, taking his outstretched hand gratefully. As soon as her hand was in his they were hit with a flashback.

_ They left the bar hand in hand, the only thing on their minds getting back to their room, when Ellie suddenly heard music coming from a large room off to the left. _

_ “Nick, let’s go in here!” Not giving him time to protest, she pulled him into the room behind her to stand near the back. An Elvis impersonator was standing on a stage, several couples standing around him, as he asked everyone to repeat after him. Still giddy from the alcohol flowing through them, Nick took Ellie’s hands in his and they repeated the words along with everyone else. When the words ‘you may now kiss the bride’ were said, he pulled her into a heated kiss, parting before it could get too out of hand, then following the lead of the other couples. Standing in line, they held hands until it was their turn to sign a sheet of paper and pick up a set of rings. On their way out the door, they slipped the rings on each other’s fingers yelling ‘hello Mrs. Nick’ and ‘hello Mr. Ellie,’ paying no attention to the strange looks they were getting. _

_ Stumbling back to their room, they quickly shed their clothes, sharing kisses in between, before both collapsing into bed and falling asleep curled together. _

Nick looked at her and it was clear they had the same flashback. “So. It looks like we didn’t actually…” 

“Yeah. Looks like it.” He couldn’t decipher her reaction to that news so he decided to ask her. 

“How do you feel about that?” 

“I’m relieved. I mean, not that I wouldn’t want to do... that... with you but… like you said earlier I would wanna remember it.” She looked up at him and saw the same relief in his eyes. 

“I gotta say El, I am too. Plus I’d really like to be able to take you out on an actual date first.” 

“A date huh? And uh, when would you propose we do that?” Even though he already had a plan, Nick seemed to think it over until she lightly smacked his chest. 

“How about tonight? A real date at a restaurant? Except, no tequila shots this time.” Ellie nodded, laughing. 

“That sounds wonderful.” She had never seen Nick’s smile brighter. She was proven wrong, however, after she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth and his smile lit up. “Although, before we go on this date I think we need to find out if this” she held up her hand showing her ring, “is a legal marriage.” 

He ran a hand over his face, knowing she was right. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. Let’s go then.” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is high T

After hours of searching and investigating, they walked into their hotel room and sat down next to each other on the bed. 

“We… got married.” Ellie said, still in shock. It was the first words that had been said between them since they found out the news. 

“We’re actually married. I can’t believe it.” Nick’s tone mirrored hers as he rubbed his hand over the back of his neck.

“Well believe it mister, we have the marriage certificate right here.” She lifted up the paper she had been holding, placing it in front of them. “Complete with our signatures and everything.” Nick looked over the bottom of the document where their signatures were clearly written perfectly and mentally cursed. Of all of the stupid things he’s done, getting drunk and married in Vegas to his partner and best friend was pretty high on the list. It didn’t help that he might possibly be in love with said best friend either. Lost in a daze, he didn’t hear Ellie calling his name until he felt her hand on his arm. “Nick?”

“Uh yeah, sorry. What were you saying?” She looked at him curiously before continuing. 

“I was asking you what we should do about it. I mean, I would really like to not have another divorce on my record even if it’s for a totally different reason but still. There’s always the option of an annulment too I guess or-” she was suddenly cut off by his finger over her lips. 

“Ellie. Can I talk?” Nodding, she stared at Nick as he talked, his finger still over her mouth. “I know it may seem crazy but… what if we stayed married? Hear me out now. We agreed earlier that we liked each other right?” He waited for her slight nod before continuing. “Well, what if we secretly stayed married and tried dating? If it didn’t work out we get an annulment, if it does then hey, we’re already legally married.” Nick watched as her brain thought over his words and held his breath until she was finally ready to speak. 

“Okay.”

“Listen Ellie I know that- wait. Okay? Like, okay we’ll stay married okay?” 

“Yeah. Like you said, we know we like each other and wanna try us out and we don’t have to tell anyone about us getting married. I think it sounds like a plan.” Excited about this unexpected turn of events, he leaned over and kissed her. Unlike last night’s, this one was soft and sweet and full of promise. Pulling back before they could get carried away he looked at the clock and noticed it was almost dinner time. 

“So El, what do you say we go out for that date now?” 

“Sounds great Nick.” She pressed a light kiss to his lips then stood up, grabbed her bag and walked into the bath area to start getting ready. Deciding to wear the white sundress she bought yesterday, she tried to stay out of sight from Nick for as long as possible so he would be surprised. If his reaction to seeing her in the dress at the store was any indication she knew he would love it. 

Unlike last night, he knew tonight was going to be a casual affair so he pulled out a dark blue short sleeved shirt that he knew Ellie loved on him. Fixing his hair in the tall mirror, he was totally unprepared for the sight that appeared behind him and he had to suck in a breath before facing her. 

“Ellie.” She twirled around nervously, a shy smile on his face when she was facing him again. 

“So, is it okay?” His eyes roamed over her, taking her in. Her hair framed her face in soft waves, her makeup was barely there and only accentuated her natural beauty. Trailing down, he noted the necklace that she always wore lay perfectly in the neckline of the dress which really took his breath away. The lacy white maxi dress fell over her curves, hugging them in just the right places while still being flowy. 

“Ellie, it’s more than okay. It’s beautiful.” A blush took over her face as he clasped her hand in his and placed a kiss to her knuckles. “You’re beautiful.” She hid her eyes from his intense gaze as his words hit her. Sure Jake and Qasim had complimented her before, even used those same words, but neither ever had the passion behind the words that Nick had. Looking back up into his eyes she knew he meant every word and a shiver went down her spine in anticipation for tonight. Not knowing how else to respond, she pulled him into a kiss. What started off as short and sweet quickly turned heated as their hands started roaming. One of Nick’s hands went to the back of her head, gently tugging the hair there while the other went to her hip, gripping tightly. Ellie’s hands immediately went under his shirt and around to trace the muscles of his back. An involuntary moan left her when he started trailing his lips down her neck and she tilted her head to give him more access. When his lips met her shoulder and moved her strap off her shoulder she dropped her hands to his belt loops, pulling him closer. Their bodies now flush against each other, Nick pulled his mouth away from her skin.

“Ya know, we are technically on our honeymoon…” He trailed off, a smirk plastered on his face as he looked at her. 

“Nick? Shut up and kiss your wife.” He had no words for that response and did as he was told, mumbling a ‘yes dear’ against her lips. 

As her tongue started to explore his mouth, the hand that was on her hip moved up her stomach to cup her breast through the dress. She gasped at the feel of his hand over her with only the thin material of the dress in between and he groaned. 

“Geez El, you’re not wearing a bra.” She bit her lip, eyes with a faux innocent shine as she shook her head lightly. Suddenly, Nick was pulling the straps of her dress down, leaving her chest exposed. Her head fell back when his lips moved from her neck down to her chest, placing all of his concentration on her breasts. 

“Ni-ck.” She moaned out as his tongue flicked her nipple. Taking her chance, she moved her hands from his belt loops to the button of his jeans, popping it open with one motion and dipping her hand in his boxers to finally feel him. 

Feeling her hand on his bare skin, he cursed under his breath, jerking back and removing her hand from him. Ellie actually whimpered at the loss of contact and opened her eyes. 

“Nick, what’s wrong?” A chill ran through her at the idea he might be having second thoughts and she pulled up the top of her dress, feeling exposed. Crossing her hands over her chest, she watched as he started pacing the room and bit her lip waiting for him to talk. 

“Everything Ellie, and nothing!” He ran a hand over his face before continuing. “I mean, I said I was gonna take you out to dinner first and I wanna do that I mean, gosh Ellie you deserve so much more than me just pouncing on you the first chance I get!” Stunned, Ellie could only watch as he threw his arms up in the air in exasperation and turned to look at her. Stepping forward, Ellie reached out a hand to place on his forearm, rubbing her thumb lightly across it. 

“Nick, look at me.” Listening to her, he looked up into her eyes. “First of all, I don’t care if you take me out to dinner or if we order room service, I just want to be with you. Second of all, did you hear any complaints from me?” She actually got a light laugh out of him at that. “And Nick, if you had ‘pounced on me’ the first chance you got this would’ve happened a long time ago. And no matter what you think, I deserve you Nick. I love you.” This time, he initiated the kiss, pulling her close and cupping her face in his hands.

“I love you too Ellie.” When her hands started to explore, he stopped her again. “Not yet Ellie, I wanna take my time with you.” His mouth found the spot on her neck that drove her crazy and she let out a gasp. Moving slower this time, her hands went to the bottom of his shirt, knuckles brushing his abs as she pulled the shirt over his head. Finally getting her hands on his skin, she peppered kisses across his chest while he reached around to untie her dress. With a nod of her approval, he undid the tie in one move then pulled the straps down, making the white lace fall to the ground and pool around her feet. 

Eyes impossibly dark, he trailed them over her newly exposed body. A low growl left him as he watched her step backwards towards the bed. Once her knees hit the edge and he still hadn’t moved, she crooked a finger for him to follow. “Coming Nick?” 

Breaking out of his daze, he stepped forward, kissing her passionately. Continuing where they left off earlier, she pushed his jeans down and ran her hand across the waistband of his boxers. Wanting to keep his earlier promise, he grabbed her wrist lightly, pausing her action. “Not yet.” Resuming their kiss, his hands moved from the back of her neck down her sides and hooked his thumbs in the sides of her thong. 

One second she was standing in front of Nick, his mouth on hers, the next she was sitting on the edge of the bed, him on his knees in front of her as his mouth found another part of her body. Between the actions of his mouth and fingers, she was quickly brought to release, his name escaping her and sighing as he placed a kiss on the inside of her thigh. 

Standing up, he shed his boxers, watching as she moved up the bed before crawling on top of her. As he moved to hover over her, she couldn’t help but glance down and lick her lips, a thrill running through her. Bracing himself with arms on each side of her head, he leaned down, kissing her hungrily. Groaning at the taste of her on his lips, she reached down to squeeze him before guiding him to her. 

Their simultaneous moans were swallowed by each other at the feeling of finally being together. 

Hours later after room service and making good use of the large shower, Ellie sat in the heart shaped tub, back against Nick’s chest as a fire roared in front of them. Swirling her hand through the water, she thought back to the changes the last forty eight hours had brought. Sensing her mind was elsewhere, Nick pressed a kiss to her shoulder. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” Tilting her head back to rest against his shoulder, she nuzzled her nose into his neck causing him to squirm. 

“I was just thinking about the past couple days and how much has changed between us.” Pressing a kiss to his neck, she turned around to sit in his lap. This conversation needed to happen face to face. “I’ve had a great time Nick but, what happens when we get back and have to face real life?”

“I’ve had a great time too El. And as for things changing well, the only thing different is that we’re together now. And, I know Gibbs has his rules but _technically_ we never dated so we didn’t actually break it.” Ellie laughed, knowing that it was the truth. “We just have to decide if and when we wanna tell everyone we’re together.”

“Well, I would kinda like to keep it a secret for a little bit. I mean, once one person in the office knows it’s gonna spread quickly. And I definitely don’t wanna let anyone know we got married.” 

“Agreed.” He leaned forward, kissing her lightly. “So, we go back and act like nothing has changed while secretly being in a relationship, I like it.” A hum of agreement is the only response Ellie gave as she leaned against him. Curling his arms around her, he kissed the side of her neck. “Oh and Ellie, looks like we did have time for some fun after all.” She laughed at the twist to her words from their first night here before letting out a gasp as he gently bit the place on her neck that drove her crazy. 

“Trip’s not over yet Nick.” A devilish smile crossed her face and she ground her hips into his. “We still have plenty of time to have fun.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys like this chapter as much as I do! :)


	5. Chapter 5

“Oh my gosh guys welcome back!” Kasie yelled as she pulled Ellie into a hug and Jimmy stepped forward next to her to shake Nick’s hand. 

“Hey guys! Bet you’re glad to be home. How was Vegas?” Jimmy spoke quickly, hugging Ellie before leading them to the car. 

“Oh it was awesome man! The sights, the food, the drinks, the casinos…” Nick trailed off, knowing Ellie would finish his sentence.

“Yeah. We had the full Vegas experience.” Climbing in the car, Nick and Ellie sat in the back, just close enough for their knees to brush against each other.

Kasie laughed as she remembered a song Ellie had been listening to in the lab one day when she was on her Carrie Underwood kick. “Yeah well, if you had the full Vegas experience you would’ve gotten drunk and married” Beside Kasie, Jimmy chuckled, neither noticing the two agents' shifting behind them. 

“And by an Elvis impersonator.” Jimmy and Kasie’s laughter continued for a moment until they realized their friends hadn’t said a word since getting in the car. 

“Uh, guys…” Kasie trailed off, looking back at Nick and Ellie who both wore shocked and guilty expressions. “Noooooo.”In the back seat, Nick fiddled with his hands as Ellie bit her lip, head down. “Seriously?” Kasie was looking at them with wide eyes, not believing what they were silently telling her. “Oh my gosh!” The excited squeal she let out surprised everyone in the car.

“Kasie what, what’s going on?” Jimmy glanced over, completely confused.

“Jimmy, they got drunk and married in Vegas!” The partners actually looked guilty when Kasie figured it out.

“Oh c’mon Kasie that’s ridiculous, they wouldn’t…” 

“Uh, actually Jimmy, Kasie’s right.” Nick piped up, finally admitting to their little secret. 

“What?!” Forgetting he was driving, Jimmy jerked his head back to look at them as Kasie grabbed the wheel to keep them from swerving. Turning his eyes back to the road, he glanced at them in the rear view mirror as they started to explain.

“So let me get this straight. You guys got drunk because you spent your gambling winnings on alcohol and then stumbled into a mass wedding ceremony and got married?” 

“Yep, that’s pretty much it.” Ellie said, knowing it sounded crazy but it was the truth.

“Wait, if you get married in Vegas you’re just married in Vegas though right?” 

“No Jimmy, if you get married in Vegas it’s just like any other marriage and is legal in all fifty states.” Kasie corrected him.

“And Puerto Rico! Ow!” He rubbed his hand over his ribs where Ellie just dug in her elbow.

“Not helping Nick.” 

“Oh, I need to make a call then.” Jimmy mumbled under his breath before coming back to the topic at hand. 

“So, what’re you guys gonna do about it?” Kasie asked, watching as they had a silent conversation with each other before Ellie spoke.

“Well, we uh, we talked about it and…” She trailed off, letting Nick finish.

“We’re gonna stay married.” Gasps of disbelief came from the front of the car and Ellie spoke up.

“Before we say anymore we need you to know You can’t say a word of this to anyone okay! Whatever is said in this car stays in this car.” At their nods she continued. “We talked some things over and decided to stay married because we admitted that we both have feelings for each other and are gonna try out a relationship.” Nick and Ellie held their breath as Jimmy and Kasie were both silent. Suddenly, loud cheers erupted from them and the couple looked at each other in confusion. 

“Well it’s about time!” 

“Yeah, I thought this day would never happen!” Kasie said in agreement with Jimmy.

“Don’t worry guys, we won’t tell anyone. We promise.” 

Still stunned by their friend's enthusiasm, they kept quiet until they started asking about the rest of their trip. Since the cat was out of the bag and he could show affection, Nick took Ellie’s hand in his, giving her a soft smile as they started recounting the PG events of their impromptu trip. 

* * *

Later that evening, they sat curled up together on Ellie’s couch, fingers intertwined, with the TV playing quietly in the background. Nick placed a kiss on the top of her head and she actually giggled at the touch. Leaning back into him, she voiced the question that had been on the tip of her tongue since getting back to DC. 

“Do you think we’re doing the right thing Nick? Staying married when we just started dating?” Nick sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“I thought we talked about this B.” 

“I know but, I couldn’t help but wonder if, now that we’re back in DC…” She trailed off, waiting for him to get it. 

“You’re worried that I may have changed my mind.” It was a statement, not a question, and Ellie turned her head, looking to the side. “El, babe, look at me.” Maneuvering herself on the couch to face him, he took her head in his hands and kissed her forehead. “This isn’t just dating for me. I love you. And I wanna be with you for the rest of our lives, if you’ll have me.” 

She resisted the urge to look away, instead staring into his eyes and seeing that he was completely serious. Leaning forward, she rested her forehead against his. “I love you too Nick. And I wanna be with you for the rest of our lives too.” 

“Good.” Nick mumbled, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Now, I think it’s time for bed.” He was proven right when Ellie yawned deeply. 

Standing up, he pulled her up with him and wrapped an arm around her shoulders to lead her to her bedroom. It was an unspoken agreement that he would be staying with her tonight. Shedding their clothes, they climbed into bed, Nick immediately pulling her close and draping an arm across her waist. Needing to be as close to him as possibly, Ellie scooted back and pulled his arm around her tighter, placing a kiss on his hand as he kissed the back of her head. 

“Goodnight, sweet dreams, I love you.”

“Goodnight, sweet dreams, I love you too.”

Curled up in each other’s arms, they both fell asleep peacefully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Carrie Underwood song referred to is called Last Name.


	6. Epilogue

Two months after coming back from Vegas, they told the team and their families that they were together. As expected, Gibbs already knew but McGee was completely shocked that it finally happened. 

A month after announcing their relationship, Ellie took Nick home to Oklahoma to meet her parents. Taking her outside to her family’s flower garden, he proposed, exciting her mother who immediately pulled Ellie into wedding planning. 

Six months after becoming engaged, they stood in front of their family and friends in a simple outdoor ceremony where they repeated after Ducky, promising to love and cherish each other as long as they both shall live. When they were pronounced husband and wife, Jimmy and Kasie, best man and maid of honor, looked at each other with knowing smiles as everyone clapped for the seemingly newly weds. 

Three months after their ceremony, Nick and Ellie would receive texts from Jimmy and Kasie wishing them a happy anniversary. Sitting on the couch, they both looked over at the marriage certificate hanging by the mantle and smiled. This one was the one displayed for all the world to see, with the date and location of their ceremony - Kasie could do wonders with photoshop - while they kept the real one, the one from their time in Vegas, hanging in their bedroom where no one could see it. 

When they found out Ellie was pregnant a year after their ceremony, they had a long talk about which date they would celebrate as their anniversary. Liking the secret of Vegas, they finally decided to keep celebrating on their ceremony date. Lucky for them, it meant they got to celebrate twice a year and they really weren’t complaining. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending of this is inspired by my best friends who secretly eloped before their wedding and only told a few people, including me because I was their witness. They publicly celebrate their anniversary on the date of the ceremony but I still wish them happy anniversary on their actual marriage date.


End file.
